Efficient decoding of mobile multimedia multicast system non real-time service files

ABSTRACT

A technique for decoding code packets of file delivery protocol (FDP) and file delivery control protocol (FDCP) messages, the FDP messages comprising fields having values used to generate an indices of a data packets, the FDCP messages comprising a value of a minimum number of code packets required, the code packets formed from a linear combination of the data packets of a file fragment, the method includes constructing data structures adapted to decode the code packets of the file fragment, the data structures comprising at least one of code nodes, a code graph, an inverse code graph, a data packet decode array, and a data packet decode order list, processing the FDP messages until a parameters required for decoding are extracted, and populating the inverse code graph with a reference to the code node.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The embodiments herein generally relate to decoding techniques, and,more particularly, to efficient decoding of MediaFLO™ system nonreal-time service files.

2. Description of the Related Art

MediaFLO™ (Forward Link Only) mobile multimedia multicast system,available from Qualcomm, Inc., California, USA, is a technology used forbroadcast data to portable devices. The MediaFLO™ system technologytransmits data on a frequency separate from the frequencies used bycurrent cellular networks. The FLO system is a one-way data transmissionpath from a tower to the device. Non real-time service delivers contentto the device in files which contain media clips (e.g., of audio andvideo) and other type of data which are stored in the device for laterretrieval. The delivery of MediaFLO™ system non real-time service filesin portable devices such as a cell phone, personal display assistant(PDA), and mobile television (TV) is performed specifically by twoprotocols: file delivery protocol (FDP) and file delivery controlprotocol (FDCP).

Files are subjected to message coding to ensure that they are deliveredefficiently to the devices. The file delivery protocol (FDP) deliversfile data and is responsible for the delivery of encoded packets. TheFDP defines file delivery message (FDM) that is used to deliver encodedpackets. FDCP delivers control information related to the file delivery.FDCP delivers messages which specify file delivery parameters that arecommon to a file delivery session. The FLO channel exposes thetransmitted data to random noise and fading. The FDP and FDCP protocolsrecover any loss of data by channel erasure coding.

An erasure code is used to recover original message from an encodeddata. An erasure code encodes data so that the original message can bedecoded without receiving all the encoded data (e.g., it transforms amessage of n blocks into a message with more than n blocks, such thatthe original message is recovered from a subset of those blocks). Thedecoding process on the device side is performed by collecting FDP codepackets and recovering the data packets by inverting the encodingprocess and solving a linear system of equations. The recovery of allthe data packets code using the decoding process is performedsuccessfully by reducing code nodes in the file fragment.

A code node holds information of the data indices of the data packetsused to generate it. The reducibility of code nodes is determined by theLauritzen/Spiegelhalter Belief Propagation Algorithm. The algorithmsolves the so-called “counting it twice” problem. This algorithm can beperformed by either upward pass or downward pass. In the upward pass,each node, when sending a message, divides its table by that message,the division is cancelled out when the message eventually returns.Messages are not stored, tables are updated. Each node waits to send itsmessage to its nearest neighbor r until it has received messages fromall its other neighbors.

In the downward pass, each node waits to send its message to aparticular neighbor outward from r until it has received messages fromall its other neighbors. The decoding process imposes a big impact onthe device working memory, file storage and computational power.Handheld mobile devices are characterized by low availability of memoryresources, low computational power, and slow file storage access. Inorder to optimize the use of working memory, storage access and tominimize the steps to recover the data packets successfully from thecode packets, there is a need for an efficient decoding algorithm.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, an embodiment herein provides a method ofdecoding code packets of FDP and FDCP messages, the FDP messagescomprising fields having values used to generate an indices of a datapackets, the FDCP messages comprising a value of a minimum number ofcode packets required, the code packets formed from a linear combinationof the data packets of a file fragment, the method includes constructingdata structures adapted to decode the code packets of the file fragment,the data structures comprising at least one of code nodes, a code graph,an inverse code graph, a data packet decode array, and a data packetdecode order list, processing the FDP messages until a parametersrequired for decoding are extracted, the processing includes insertingthe code node into a code graph bin of the code graph corresponding toweights of the code graph bin only if an FDP message corresponding tothe code node is unique, populating the inverse code graph with areference to the code node, and executing a solvability algorithm when anumber of received code packets reaches the minimum number of codepackets required.

The solvability algorithm may include the code graph bins having codenodes starting with a code graph bin having lowest code weight may betraversed, the code graph bins are arranged in an ascending order ofcode weights, if a corresponding code packet of each code node in a listconnected to each of the code graph bins can be reduced further using adata packet associated with the code packet may be determined, if thecode packet cannot be reduced further it may be proceeded to a next codenode in the list, and a cost value of the code packet may be incrementedby a cost value associated with the data packet used to reduce the codepacket.

The parameters required for decoding may include at least one of aminimum number of the code packets to decode successfully with highprobability, a field in the FDP message containing specific values togenerate data packet indices, a file fragment ID to determine which filefragment the received FDP packet belongs to, and a file distributionrecord comprising at least one of an offset of the fragment in a file, asize of the file fragment, and a code weight map. The FDP message maycorrespond to the code node determined to be unique based on at leastone of a data index, a code weight index, and a prime index which havenot been already received.

The solvability algorithm may further include the data packet decodearray which is indexed using an index of a recovered data packet, and acode packet storage access information, a code node reference, a datapacket cost, and a reference of a decode order may be updated in thedata packet decode order list, if a data packet is recovered from thecode packet. The solvability algorithm may further include acorresponding entry in the data packet decode array which is replaced byan information of a code packet from which the data packet is recovered,and the reference which is updated in the data packet decode order listto reflect a new decode order, if a cost associated with the code packetis less than a cost associated with the corresponding entry in the datapacket decode array.

The method may further include a decode failure which may be indicatedfor a file reception condition if an end of a contact window is reachedand no more code packets are received. The method may further include acode packet payload reduction algorithm which may be executed to reducethe stored code packet payload using an information in the data packetdecode array and the inverse code graph if the solvability algorithm issuccessful, the code packet payload reduction algorithm may furtherinclude an inverse code graph which may be indexed with the index of afirst data packet to be recovered using the data packet decode orderlist, a code packet payload may be obtained from the inverse code graph,a next entry index may be fetched from the data packet decode orderlist, the inverse code graph repeatedly indexed with the index of afirst data packet to be recovered using the data packet decode orderlist, and the inverse code graph repeatedly indexed with the index of afirst data packet to be recovered using the data packet decode orderlist until the data packet decode order list is completely processed andall data packets have been fully recovered.

In another aspect, a computer readable medium having stored thereon datastructures adapted to decode a FDP packet of a file fragment, the datastructures includes a code node to store an information for retrieving apayload of the FDP packet, the code node adapted to indicate if itscorresponding code packet can be further reduced, a code graphcomprising bins corresponding to a code weight, the bins comprising codenodes with the code weight, an inverse code graph array having a numberof elements equivalent to a number of data packets in the file fragment,a data packet decode array adapted to check whether all the data packetscan be decoded successfully, and a data packet decode order list tostore an order in which the data packets are recovered.

The bins may be arranged in order based on the code weights. The inversecode graph may be indexed by an index of the data packets. The datapacket decode array may be indexed by an index of a recovered datapacket, if the data packet can be recovered from the code packet, thedata packet decode array includes a code packet storage accessinformation, a code node reference, a data packet cost, and a referenceof a decode order in the data packet decode order list.

In yet another aspect, an apparatus adapted to decode code packets ofFDP and FDCP messages, the FDP messages comprising fields having valuesused to generate an indices of a data packets, the FDCP messagescomprising a value of a minimum number of code packets required, thecode packets formed from a linear combination of the data packets of afile fragment, the apparatus includes a memory unit including datastructures adapted to decode the code packets of the file fragment, thedata structures including at least one of code nodes, a code graph, aninverse code graph, a data packet decode array, and a data packet decodeorder list, a processor adapted to process the FDP messages until aparameters required for decoding are extracted, the processor includesmeans for inserting the code node into a code graph bin of the codegraph corresponding to weights of the code graph bin only if an FDPmessage corresponding to the code node is unique, and means forpopulating the inverse code graph with a reference to the code node, andexecute a solvability algorithm when a number of received code packetsreaches the minimum number of code packets required.

The solvability algorithm may include the code graph bins having codenodes which may be traversed starting with a code graph bin havinglowest code weight, the code graph bins are arranged in an ascendingorder of code weights, a corresponding code packet of each code node ina list connected to each of the code graph bins which is reduced furtherusing a data packet associated with the code packet may be determined,if the code packet cannot be reduced further it may be proceeded to anext code node in the list, and a cost value of the code packet may beincremented by a cost value associated with the data packet used toreduce the code packet.

The parameters required for decoding may include at least one of aminimum number of the code packets to decode successfully with highprobability, a field in the FDP message containing specific values togenerate data packet indices, a file fragment ID to determine which filefragment the received FDP packet belongs to, and a file distributionrecord comprising at least one of an offset of the fragment in a file, asize of the file fragment, and a code weight map. The FDP message maycorrespond to the code node determined to be unique based on any ofwhether at least one of a data index, a code weight index, and a primeindex have not been already received.

The solvability algorithm may further include the data packet decodearray which may be indexed using an index of a recovered data packet,and a code packet storage access information, a code node reference, adata packet cost, and a reference of a decode order which may be updatedin the data packet decode order list, if a data packet can be recoveredfrom the code packet. The solvability algorithm may further include acorresponding entry in the data packet decode array which may bereplaced by an information of a code packet from which the data packetis recovered, and the reference in the data packet decode order list maybe updated to reflect a new decode order, if a cost associated with thecode packet is less than a cost associated with the corresponding entryin the data packet decode array.

The processor may further indicate a decode failure for a file receptioncondition if an end of a contact window is reached and no more codepackets are received. The processor may further execute a code packetpayload reduction algorithm to reduce the stored code packet payloadusing an information in the data packet decode array and the inversecode graph if the solvability algorithm is successful, the code packetpayload reduction algorithm includes the inverse code graph which may beindexed with the index of a first data packet to be recovered using thedata packet decode order list, a code packet payload which may beobtained from the inverse code graph, a next entry index which may befetched from the data packet decode order list, the inverse code graphwhich may be repeatedly indexed with the index of a first data packet tobe recovered using the data packet decode order list; and the inversecode graph which may be repeatedly indexed with the index of a firstdata packet to be recovered using the data packet decode order listuntil the data packet decode order list is completely processed and alldata packets have been fully recovered.

These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be betterappreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings. It should beunderstood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicatingpreferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are givenby way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments hereinwithout departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments hereininclude all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments herein will be better understood from the followingdetailed description with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a FDP code packets encoding process in a mobile TVFLO system according to an embodiment herein;

FIGS. 2A through 2D illustrate data structures of a code graph, aninverse code graph, a data packet decode array, and a data packet decodeorder list of a file fragment according to an embodiment herein;

FIGS. 3A through 3B are flow diagrams illustrating a process of decodingcode packets and recovering data packets of a file fragment according toan embodiment herein;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of collecting FDPmessages according to an embodiment herein;

FIG. 5 illustrates a table view of parameters needed for the decodingprocess according to an embodiment herein;

FIGS. 6A through 6C are flow diagrams illustrating a solvabilityalgorithm according to an embodiment herein;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of code packets payloadreduction according to an embodiment herein;

FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of a mobile TV receiver according toan embodiment herein; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic diagram of a computer architectureaccording to an embodiment herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous detailsthereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limitingembodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings anddetailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-knowncomponents and processing techniques are omitted so as to notunnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used hereinare intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which theembodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skillin the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examplesshould not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The embodiments herein provide a method of decoding code packets of FDPand FDCP messages, the FDP messages comprising fields having values usedto generate an indices of a data packets, the FDCP messages comprising avalue of a minimum number of code packets 106 required, the code packets106 formed from a linear combination of the data packets of a filefragment includes constructing data structures adapted to decode thecode packets 106 of the file fragment, processing the FDP messages untila parameters required for decoding are extracted, the processingincluding inserting the code nodes into a code graph bins of the codegraph corresponding to a weights of the code graph bins, populating theinverse code graph with a reference to the code nodes, executing asolvability algorithm when a number of received code packets 106 reachesthe minimum number of code packets required, the solvability algorithmincludes traversing the code graph bins 204 A-H having code nodesstarting with a code graph bin having lowest code weight, determining ifa corresponding code packet of each code node in a list connected toeach of the code graph bins can be reduced further using a data packetassociated with the code packet, proceeding to a next code node in thelist only if the code packet cannot be reduced further, and incrementinga cost value of the code packet by a cost value associated with the datapacket used to reduce the code packet.

The code graph bins are arranged in an ascending order of code weights.The data structures comprise at least one of a code node, a code graph,an inverse code graph, a data packet decode array or a data packetdecode order list. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularlyto FIGS. 1 through 9, where similar reference characters denotecorresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there areshown preferred embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a FDP code packet encoding process 100 in a mobile TVFLO system according to an embodiment herein. FIG. 1 shows file fragment102, generator matrix 104, and the FDP code packets 106. The filefragment 102 comprises data packets 0-K. The FDP code packets 106comprise code packets 0-N. The file fragment 102 may be formed by thebreakdown of a file-by-file delivery protocol (FDP). The file deliveryprotocol (FDP) may break each file into several fragments, where eachfile fragment is broken into data packets 0-K. The generator matrix 104may multiply the data packets 0-K and generate the code packets 0-N.

The code packets 0-N are decoded in the decoding process and again thedecoded data packets are recovered by inverting the encoding process andsolving the linear system of equations. FIGS. 2A through 2D illustratedata structures of a code graph 200A, an inverse code graph 200B, a datapacket decode array 200C, and a data packet decode order list 200D of afile fragment, according to an embodiment herein. FIG. 2A illustratescode weight map 202 and bins 204A-H. The code weight map 202 includescode weights W1-W8. Each bin of the code graph 200A comprises a numberof code nodes connected to each other linearly.

Each bin may correspond to one of the code weights W1-W8 in the codeweight map 202 and is arranged based on the corresponding code weightsof the related file fragment. Each bin acts as a container for codenodes with the same code weight value w. The code nodes holdsinformation such as the data indices of the data packets used togenerate FDP code packets 106. The code node indicates if itscorresponding code packet can be further reduced. The code nodes alsoholds information related to retrieving the payload of the FDP codepackets 106 from storage.

FIG. 2B illustrates an array 206 and bins 208 A-H. The size of the array206 may be equivalent to the number of data packets in the file fragment102 of FIG. 1. The array 206 may be indexed by the data packet index.Each array element D1-D8 of the array 206 holds information to the codenodes that the data packet is used to generate. Each bin of the inversecode graph 200B comprises a number of code nodes connected to each otherlinearly. The inverse code graph 200B may be indexed by an index of datapackets. In one embodiment, each bin corresponds to one of the arrayelements D1-D8. In one embodiment, each bin acts as a container for codenodes. Each code node has a reference associated with it, which is thecode node reference.

FIG. 2C shows the data packet decode array 200C containing informationsuch as code packet storage access, code node reference, data packetcost, and reference of the decode order in the data packet decode orderlist. The data packet decode array 200C is indexed by an index of arecovered data packet, if the data packet can be recovered from the codepacket. In one embodiment, the data packet decode array 200C is used todetermine whether all data packets can be decoded successfully or notduring the solvability step. FIG. 2D shows the index of first datapacket to be decoded and also the order in which the data packets are tobe decoded.

The data packet decode order list 200D is a list which holds the decodeorder of data packets; i.e., the order of the data packets as they arerecovered during the solvability step. FIGS. 3A and 3B are flow diagramsillustrating a process of decoding code packets and recovering datapackets of a file fragment according to an embodiment herein. In step302, an FDP message is received. In step 304, each received FDP messageis checked for uniqueness based on whether an FDP message with the sameDATA_INDEX, CODE_WEIGHT_INDEX, and PRIME_INDEX have not been alreadyreceived. In step 306, a condition is checked if the fields are same asthe already received message.

The process is jumped to step 308 if the received FDP message is notunique (Yes). The process is jumped to step 310, if the received FDPmessage is unique in fields (No). In step 308, a subsequent FDP messageis received and the step 304 is repeated. In step 310, the FDP codepackets are stored on permanent storage. In step 312, sufficient codepackets are received for the reduction process. In step 314, asolvability algorithm is invoked. In step 316, code packet payloadreduction is carried out. In step 318, data packet is recovered from thecode packet. In step 320, a condition is checked if the data packetdecode array is complete.

If the condition is satisfied (Yes), the process proceeds to step 322and if not (No), it is jumped to step 314 and the process is repeatedfrom step 314. In step 322, the K data packets of the file fragment aredecoded and recovered. FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a processof collecting FDP messages according to an embodiment herein. In step402, a FDP message is received. In step 404, each received FDP messageis checked for uniqueness based on whether an FDP message with the sameDATA_INDEX, CODE_WEIGHT_INDEX and PRIME_INDEX have not been alreadyreceived. In step 406, a condition is checked if the fields are same asthe already received message. The process is jumped to step 408 if thereceived FDP message is not unique (Yes).

The process is jumped to step 410, if the received FDP message is unique(No) in fields. In step 408, a subsequent FDP message is received andthe step 404 is repeated. In step 410, a code node is inserted into thecode graph bin corresponding to its weight for each unique FDP. In step412, a data index is generated in the code node for each unique FDP. Instep 414, an equivalent entry is made in the inverse code graph. In step416, the inverse code graph is indexed by the current data index. In oneembodiment, the inverse code graph is indexed by the current data indexgenerated and then a reference to the code node is inserted in a list ofall code nodes that referenced the current entry in the inverse codegraph. In step 418, the FDP code packets are stored on permanent storagefor later retrieval during the code packets reduction phase.

FIG. 5 illustrates a table view 500 of the parameters needed for thedecoding process according to an embodiment herein. The parametersinclude a MIN_NUMBER_OF_CODE_PACKETS 502, a DATA_INDEX, PRIME_INDEX, andCODE_WEIGHT_INDEX 504, a FILE_FRAGMENT_ID 506, and aFILE_DISTRIBUTION_RECORD 508. The parameter MIN_NUMBER_OF_CODE_PACKETS502 refers to the minimum number of code packets required to be decodedwith high probability and this number is sent within the FDCP message.The DATA_INDEX, PRIME_INDEX, CODE_WEIGHT_INDEX 504 are the fields in theFDP message that contain specific values used to generate the datapacket indices. These fields are used for checking the uniqueness ofeach received FDP message; i.e., an FDP message with the sameDATA_INDEX, CODE_WEIGHT_INDEX and PRIME_INDEX that have not been alreadyreceived as in the step 404 of FIG. 4. The DATA_INDEX, CODE_WEIGHT_INDEXand PRIME_INDEX 404 fields of an FDP message are processed with otherparameters; i.e., MIN_NUMBER_OF_CODE_PACKETS 502, FILE_FRAGMENT_ID 506,and FILE_DISTRIBUTION_RECORD 508 to determine the set of data packetsused to generate the code packet carried in the payload of this FDPmessage.

The parameter FILE_FRAGMENT_ID 506 is used to determine which filefragment the received FDP packet belongs to. The parameterFILE_DISTRIBUTION_RECORD 508 contains data such as offset of the filefragment in the file, the size of file fragment and the code weight mapwhich contains the code weights used to encode the parity FDP codepackets. FIGS. 6A through 6C is a flow diagram illustrating asolvability algorithm according to an embodiment herein. In step 602,sufficient numbers of code packets are received. In step 604, the codegraph bins are traversed starting with the lowest code weight bin.

In step 606, each code node in the list connected to the bin isexamined. In step 608, a condition is checked to determine if itscorresponding code packet can be further reduced, such as according to aLauritzen/Spiegelhalter Belief Propagation Algorithm. If not (No), theprocess moves to step 610, and the code node is skipped to the next codenode in the bin. In step 612, the step 610 is carried out until a bin iscompletely traversed. In step 614, the subsequent bin is selected andthe steps from 606 are repeated. If the code packet can be furtherreduced (Yes), the process proceeds to step 616, and a cost isassociated with the reduction process per code node. The cost reflectsthe associated effort in the reduction process such as computationalpower and storage access time.

In step 618, the cost value of a given code packet is incremented by thevalue of the cost associated with the data packet used to reduce it. Inone embodiment, data packets inherit the cost of the corresponding codepacket used to recover them. For example the cost of a data packet is 1when the corresponding code packet's cost is 1 which in that case isequal to the code weight w. In step 620, a condition is checked if thecode packet is reduced. If the code packet is not reduced (No), it isjumped to the step 610. If the code packet is reduced (Yes), then it isjumped to step 622.

In steps 622, 624, and 626, a data packet is recovered from the codepacket, if a code packets is reduced to weight w=1, the data packetdecode array 200C of FIG. 2C is indexed using the index of the recovereddata packet and information including code packet storage accessinformation, code node reference, data packet cost and reference of thedecode order in data packet decode order list are updated in thecorresponding entry. In step 628, a condition is checked if an entryalready exists in the data packet decode array. If the entry does notalready exist (Yes), it is jumped to step 632. If the condition is notsatisfied (No), it is jumped to the step 630. In step 630, no changesare made in the updates. In step 632, the costs are compared. In step634, a condition is checked if the new cost is lower. If the conditionis not satisfied (No), then it is jumped to step 630.

If the condition is satisfied (Yes), then it is jumped to step 636. Insteps 636 and 638, the corresponding entry in the data packet decodearray is replaced by the information of the code packet with lower costand the reference in decode packet order list is updated to reflect newdecode order. In step 640, a condition is checked if new data packetshave been recovered. If the condition is satisfied (Yes), it is jumpedto step 644. If the condition is not satisfied (No), then it is jumpedto step 646. In step 642, another condition is checked if the datapacket decode array is complete. If it is complete (Yes), it is jumpedto step 644. If it is not complete (No), it is jumped to step 646. Instep 644, the K data packets of the fragment are decoded and recovered.In step 646, the solvability algorithm is repeated from step 602.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of code packet payloadreduction according to an embodiment herein. In step 702, the inversecode graph is indexed with the index of the first data packet to berecovered using the data packet decode order list. In step 704, the datapacket payload is read from the storage. In step 706, code packetpayloads are read from the inverse code graph. In step 708, a conditionis checked if an entry in the inverse code graph is completely processedand the process is jumped to step 710 if the entry in the inverse codegraph is completely processed (Yes). The process is jumped to step 712,if the entry in the inverse code graph is not completely processed (No).

In step 710, the next entry index is fetched from the decode order listand the process is repeated again from step 702. In step 712, the stepsfrom 702 are repeated until the decode order list is completelyprocessed. In step 714, data packets are fully recovered and written tostorage. FIG. 8 illustrates exploded view of a mobile TV receiver 800having a memory 802 with a computer set of instructions, a bus 804, adisplay 806, a speaker 808, and a processor 810 capable of processingthe set of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologiesherein, according to an embodiment herein. The processor 810 may alsoenable frequency samples to be consumed in the form of one or moredisplays 806 or audio for output via speaker and/or earphones 808.

The processor 810 may also carry out the methods described herein and inaccordance with the embodiments herein. The received frequency domainsample may also be stored in the memory 802 for future processing orconsumption. The memory 802 may also store specific information aboutthe frequency domain sample available in the future or stored from thepast. When the sample is selected, the processor 810 may passinformation. The information may be passed among functions within mobileTV receiver 800 using the bus 804.

The techniques provided by the embodiments herein may be implemented onan integrated circuit chip (not shown). The chip design is created in agraphical computer programming language, and stored in a computerstorage medium (such as a disk, tape, physical hard drive, or virtualhard drive such as in a storage access network). If the designer doesnot fabricate chips or the photolithographic masks used to fabricatechips, the designer transmits the resulting design by physical means(e.g., by providing a copy of the storage medium storing the design) orelectronically (e.g., through the Internet) to such entities, directlyor indirectly. The stored design is then converted into the appropriateformat (e.g., GDSII) for the fabrication of photolithographic masks,which typically include multiple copies of the chip design in questionthat are to be formed on a wafer. The photolithographic masks areutilized to define areas of the wafer (and/or the layers thereon) to beetched or otherwise processed.

The resulting integrated circuit chips can be distributed by thefabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a single wafer that hasmultiple unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In thelatter case the chip is mounted in a single chip package (such as aplastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or otherhigher level carrier) or in a multichip package (such as a ceramiccarrier that has either or both surface interconnections or buriedinterconnections). In any case the chip is then integrated with otherchips, discrete circuit elements, and/or other signal processing devicesas part of either (a) an intermediate product, such as a motherboard, or(b) an end product. The end product can be any product that includesintegrated circuit chips, ranging from toys and other low-endapplications to advanced computer products having a display, a keyboardor other input device, and a central processor.

The embodiments herein can take the form of an entirely hardwareembodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment includingboth hardware and software elements. The embodiments that areimplemented in software include but are not limited to, firmware,resident software, microcode, etc.

Furthermore, the embodiments herein can take the form of a computerprogram product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readablemedium providing program code for use by or in connection with acomputer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of thisdescription, a computer-usable or computer readable medium can be anyapparatus that can comprise, store, communicate, propagate, or transportthe program for use by or in connection with the instruction executionsystem, apparatus, or device.

The medium can be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or apropagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include asemiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computerdiskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), arigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Current examples of opticaldisks include compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), compactdisk-read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD.

A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing programcode will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectlyto memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can includelocal memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulkstorage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at leastsome program code in order to reduce the number of times code must beretrieved from bulk storage during execution.

Input/output (I/O) devices (including but not limited to keyboards,displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system eitherdirectly or through intervening I/O controllers. Network adapters mayalso be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system tobecome coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers orstorage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems,cable modem and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently availabletypes of network adapters.

A representative hardware environment for practicing the embodimentsherein is depicted in FIG. 9. This schematic drawing illustrates ahardware configuration of an information handling/computer system inaccordance with the embodiments herein. The system comprises at leastone processor or central processing unit (CPU) 10. The CPUs 10 areinterconnected via system bus 12 to various devices such as a randomaccess memory (RAM) 14, read-only memory (ROM) 16, and an input/output(I/O) adapter 18. The I/O adapter 18 can connect to peripheral devices,such as disk units 11 and tape drives 13, or other program storagedevices that are readable by the system. The system can read theinventive instructions on the program storage devices and follow theseinstructions to execute the methodology of the embodiments herein. Thesystem further includes a user interface adapter 19 that connects akeyboard 15, mouse 17, speaker 24, microphone 22, and/or other userinterface devices such as a touch screen device (not shown) to the bus12 to gather user input. Additionally, a communication adapter 20connects the bus 12 to a data processing network 25, and a displayadapter 21 connects the bus 12 to a display device 23 which may beembodied as an output device such as a monitor, printer, or transmitter,for example.

The protocols FDP and FDCP deliver file data. FDP delivers encodedpackets. FDCP delivers control information related to the file delivery.The recovery process of data packets of the file fragment 102 from thecode packets 106 is performed by inverting the encoding process andsolving the linear system of equations. The decoding process invokes asolvability algorithm. The methods disclosed herein optimize the use ofworking memory, file storage access and minimize the number of steps torecover the data packets in mobile devices.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fullyreveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, byapplying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for variousapplications such specific embodiments without departing from thegeneric concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modificationsshould and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and rangeof equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood thatthe phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodimentsherein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can bepracticed with modification within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A method of decoding code packets of file delivery protocol (FDP) andfile delivery control protocol (FDCP) messages, said FDP messagescomprising fields having values used to generate an indices of a datapackets, said FDCP messages comprising a value of a minimum number ofcode packets required, said code packets formed from a linearcombination of said data packets of a file fragment, said methodcomprising: constructing data structures adapted to decode said codepackets of said file fragment, wherein said data structures comprisingat least one of code nodes, a code graph, an inverse code graph, a datapacket decode array, and a data packet decode order list; processingsaid FDP messages until parameters required for decoding are extracted,wherein said processing comprising: inserting said code node into a codegraph bin of said code graph corresponding to weights of said code graphbin only if an FDP message corresponding to said code node is unique;and populating said inverse code graph with a reference to said codenode; and executing a solvability algorithm when a number of receivedcode packets reaches said minimum number of code packets required,wherein said solvability algorithm comprises: traversing code graph binshaving code nodes starting with a code graph bin having lowest codeweight, wherein said code graph bins are arranged in an ascending orderof code weights; determining if a corresponding code packet of each codenode in a list connected to each of said code graph bins can be reducedfurther using a data packet associated with said code packet; proceedingto a next code node in said list only if said code packet cannot bereduced further; and incrementing a cost value of said code packet by acost value associated with said data packet used to reduce said codepacket.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said code nodes are connectedto each other linearly.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein saidparameters required for decoding comprises at least one of: a minimumnumber of said code packets to decode successfully with highprobability; a field in said FDP message containing specific values togenerate data packet indices; a file fragment ID to determine which filefragment a received FDP packet belongs to; and a file distributionrecord comprising at least one of an offset of said file fragment in afile, a size of said file fragment, and a code weight map.
 4. The methodof claim 3, wherein said FDP message corresponding to said code node isdetermined to be unique based on any of: whether at least one of a dataindex, a code weight index, and a prime index have not been alreadyreceived.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said solvability algorithmfurther comprises: indexing said data packet decode array using an indexof a recovered data packet; and updating a code packet storage accessinformation, a code node reference, a data packet cost, and a referenceof a decode order in said data packet decode order list, if a datapacket can be recovered from said code packet.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein said solvability algorithm further comprises: replacing acorresponding entry in said data packet decode array by an informationof a code packet from which said data packet is recovered; and updatingsaid reference in said data packet decode order list to reflect a newdecode order, if a cost associated with said code packet is less than acost associated with said corresponding entry in said data packet decodearray.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising indicating a decodefailure for a file reception condition if an end of a contact window isreached and no more code packets are received.
 8. The method of claim 6,further comprising executing a code packet payload reduction algorithmto reduce a stored code packet payload using an information in said datapacket decode array and said inverse code graph if said solvabilityalgorithm is successful, wherein said code packet payload reductionalgorithm comprises: indexing said inverse code graph with the index ofa first data packet to be recovered using said data packet decode orderlist; obtaining a code packet payload from said inverse code graph;fetching a next entry index from said data packet decode order list;repeating said indexing of said inverse code graph with the index of afirst data packet to be recovered using said data packet decode orderlist; and repeating said indexing of said inverse code graph with theindex of a first data packet to be recovered using said data packetdecode order list until said data packet decode order list is completelyprocessed and all data packets have been fully recovered.
 9. A computerhaving stored thereon data structures adapted to decode a file deliveryprotocol (FDP) packet of a file fragment, said data structurescomprising: a code node to store information for retrieving a payload ofsaid FDP packet, said code node adapted to indicate if its correspondingcode packet can be further reduced; a code graph comprising binscorresponding to a code weight, said bins comprising code nodes withsaid code weight; an inverse code graph array having a number ofelements equivalent to a number of data packets in said file fragment; adata packet decode array adapted to check whether all said data packetscan be decoded successfully; a data packet decode order list to store anorder in which said data packets are recovered; and instructions forperforming a solvability algorithm when a number of received codepackets reaches a minimum number of code packets required, wherein saidsolvability algorithm comprises: traversing code graph bins having codenodes starting with a code graph bin having lowest code weight, whereinsaid code graph bins are arranged in an ascending order of code weights;determining if a corresponding code packet of each code node in a listconnected to each of said code graph bins can be reduced further using adata packet associated with said code packet; proceeding to a next codenode in said list only if said code packet cannot be reduced further;and incrementing a cost value of said code packet by a cost valueassociated with said data packet used to reduce said code packet. 10.The computer of claim 9, wherein said bins are arranged in order basedon said code weights.
 11. The computer of claim 9, wherein said inversecode graph is indexed by an index of said data packets.
 12. The computerof claim 9, wherein said data packet decode array is indexed by an indexof a recovered data packet, if said data packet can be recovered fromsaid code packet, wherein said data packet decode array comprises a codepacket storage access information, a code node reference, a data packetcost, and a reference of a decode order in said data packet decode orderlist.
 13. An apparatus adapted to decode code packets of file deliveryprotocol (FDP) and file delivery control protocol (FDCP) messages, saidFDP messages comprising fields having values used to generate an indicesof a data packets, said FDCP messages comprising a value of a minimumnumber of code packets required, said code packets formed from a linearcombination of said data packets of a file fragment, said apparatuscomprising: a memory unit comprising data structures adapted to decodesaid code packets of said file fragment, wherein said data structurescomprising at least one of code nodes, a code graph, an inverse codegraph, a data packet decode array, and a data packet decode order list;a processor configured to: process said FDP messages until parametersrequired for decoding are extracted; insert said code node into a codegraph bin of said code graph corresponding to weights of said code graphbin only if an FDP message corresponding to said code node is unique;populate said inverse code graph with a reference to said code node; andexecute a solvability algorithm when a number of received code packetsreaches said minimum number of code packets required, wherein saidsolvability algorithm comprises: traversing code graph bins having codenodes starting with a code graph bin having lowest code weight, whereinsaid code graph bins are arranged in an ascending order of code weights;determining if a corresponding code packet of each code node in a listconnected to each of said code graph bins can be reduced further using adata packet associated with said code packet; proceeding to a next codenode in said list only if said code packet cannot be reduced further;and incrementing a cost value of said code packet by a cost valueassociated with said data packet used to reduce said code packet. 14.The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said code nodes are connected to eachother linearly.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said parametersrequired for decoding comprises at least one of: a minimum number ofsaid code packets to decode successfully with high probability; a fieldin said FDP message containing specific values to generate data packetindices; a file fragment ID to determine which file fragment a receivedFDP packet belongs to; and a file distribution record comprising atleast one of an offset of said file fragment in a file, a size of saidfile fragment, and a code weight map.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein said FDP message corresponding to said code node is determinedto be unique based on any of: whether at least one of a data index, acode weight index, and a prime index have not been already received. 17.The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said solvability algorithm furthercomprises: indexing said data packet decode array using an index of arecovered data packet; and updating a code packet storage accessinformation, a code node reference, a data packet cost, and a referenceof a decode order in said data packet decode order list, if a datapacket can be recovered from said code packet.
 18. The apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein said solvability algorithm further comprises:replacing a corresponding entry in said data packet decode array by aninformation of a code packet from which said data packet is recovered;and updating said reference in said data packet decode order list toreflect a new decode order, if a cost associated with said code packetis less than a cost associated with said corresponding entry in saiddata packet decode array.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein saidprocessor is further configured to indicate a decode failure for a filereception condition if an end of a contact window is reached and no morecode packets are received.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein saidprocessor is further configured to execute a code packet payloadreduction algorithm to reduce a stored code packet payload using aninformation in said data packet decode array and said inverse code graphif said solvability algorithm is successful, wherein said code packetpayload reduction algorithm comprises: indexing said inverse code graphwith the index of a first data packet to be recovered using said datapacket decode order list; obtaining a code packet payload from saidinverse code graph; fetching a next entry index from said data packetdecode order list; repeating said indexing of said inverse code graphwith the index of a first data packet to be recovered using said datapacket decode order list; and repeating said indexing of said inversecode graph with the index of a first data packet to be recovered usingsaid data packet decode order list until said data packet decode orderlist is completely processed and all data packets have been fullyrecovered.